Gaming in the United States is typically divided into Class I, Class II, and Class III games. Class I gaming includes social games played for minimal prizes, or traditional ceremonial games. Class II gaming includes bingo and bingo-like games. Class III gaming includes any game that is not a Class I or Class II game, such as games of chance (e.g., slot machine games, video poker games, video blackjack games, and video Keno games) typically offered in state-regulated casinos.
One form of bingo includes providing a player one or more cards each bearing numbers. In this form of bingo, numbered objects are drawn or electronically determined and the player attempts to match the drawn numbered objects to the numbers on the player's card(s). If the drawn numbered objects match one of or a plurality of predetermined award patterns on the player's card(s), the player wins an award associated with that predetermined award pattern.
In general, certain players find slot machines to be more appealing than bingo games. Typically, slot machines generate symbols which are displayed on the reels. However, as mentioned above, slot machines and other games of chance fall into the category of Class III games, which may be subject to stricter approval and regulation and not available in certain jurisdictions or states where Class II games are available. Accordingly, certain known bingo systems display a bingo outcome to players by, in addition to displaying the bingo game, simulating the appearance of traditional Class III games, such as by utilizing a slot game to display an outcome which corresponds with the outcome of the bingo game.
In such bingo systems that display a bingo outcome by simulating the appearance of a traditional Class III game, an award typically referred to as a community award is won by the first player who is playing a bingo card on which a game-winning pattern or community pattern of numbers is covered. Once the game-winning pattern of numbers is covered, the bingo system provides the community award to the first player and terminates the bingo game.
After the bingo game is terminated (i.e., the community pattern is covered), a determination occurs for each bingo card whether any covered pattern is a designated pattern associated with an award. One form of designated patterns are interim patterns which are associated with interim or supplemental awards. If an interim pattern is covered (within a quantity of numbered objects drawn) on one of the bingo cards of one of the players, the bingo system provides an interim or supplemental award to that player separate from the community award. That is, a player can win an interim or supplemental award with or without winning the community award. For example, a L-shaped interim pattern in the bingo game is associated with ten credits and fifteen numbered objects drawn. In this example, if the L-shaped interim pattern is covered within the first fifteen numbered objects drawn in the bingo game before the community pattern is covered, the bingo system determines a symbol combination to display based on the ten credits associated with the L-shaped interim pattern. In this example, if a symbol combination of BAR-BAR-BAR is associated with ten credits (according to an applicable paytable), the bingo system displays the symbol combination of BAR-BAR-BAR and provides the ten credits for the symbol combination of BAR-BAR-BAR. That is, the symbol combination of BAR-BAR-BAR in the slot game represents the covered L-shaped interim pattern in the bingo game. In such a bingo system, the interim patterns are ranked or otherwise ordered form highest priority to lowest priority. If a plurality of interim patterns are each covered (within the quantity of numbered objects drawn associated with each respective interim pattern) in the bingo game, the bingo system determines the covered interim pattern of the highest priority and provides the player the award associated with only the highest priority covered interim pattern.
Such bingo systems also include progressive awards, or open-ended awards, which are generally more desirable awards and can increment to high values. Such progressive awards are typically provided to any player playing a bingo card on which one of a plurality of predetermined progressive award patterns of numbers is covered on the bingo card within a quantity of numbered objects drawn. If a progressive award pattern is covered (within a quantity of numbered objects drawn) on one of the bingo cards of one of the players, the bingo system provides a progressive award to that player separate from any community award and any interim awards. That is, a player can win a progressive award with or without winning the community award or an interim award. For example, a X-shaped progressive pattern in the bingo game is associated with a progressive award and eight numbered objects drawn. In this example, if the X-shaped pattern is covered within the first eight numbered objects drawn in the bingo game before the community pattern is covered, the bingo system provides the progressive award as a mystery award to that player. That is, the progressive award is provided independent of any displayed symbol combination. In such a bingo system, the progressive award patterns are ranked or otherwise ordered form highest priority to lowest priority. If a plurality of progressive award patterns are each covered (within the quantity of numbered objects drawn associated with each respective progressive award pattern) in the bingo game, the bingo system determines the covered progressive award pattern of the highest priority and provides the player the award associated with only the highest priority covered progressive award pattern.
In certain bingo systems, any player may potentially cover an interim pattern and a progressive pattern during the same draw of numbered objects. In these games, if one of the interim patterns and one of the progressive patterns are simultaneously covered, the bingo system is conflicted with which symbol combination to display. It would be confusing, for a player to win a progressive award based on a displayed symbol combination in one play of the game and in a subsequent play of the game, for the player to win the same progressive award independent of any displayed symbol combination. Because such potential conflict exists, known bingo systems do not provide progressive awards as symbol driven progressive awards (i.e., progressive awards based on any displayed symbol or symbol combination). Rather, known bingo systems generate the symbol combination associated with the same value as the value associated with the covered interim pattern and provide any progressive awards won by the player as mystery progressive awards. That is, the progressive awards are provided independent of any displayed symbol or symbol combination regardless of whether an interim pattern, a progressive pattern or both are covered.
Providing the progressive awards as mystery awards reduces, or at least mitigates, player confusion which could be caused by providing the progressive awards in different ways (e.g., as symbol driven progressive awards and mystery progressive awards) for different plays of the same game. Accordingly, by providing the progressive awards as mystery awards, known bingo systems maintain consistency in how the progressive awards are provided to the players for each play of the bingo game. Additionally, certain players are confused by mystery wins and prefer wins based on displayed symbol combinations. Specifically, these players prefer any progressive wins to be displayed as symbol combinations because these players then know why and how they are provided such large awards. Accordingly, bingo systems which provide progressive awards as mystery awards confuses these players because they do not know why or how they are provided such large awards.
There is a continuing need to provide new and different gaming machines and gaming systems as well as new and different ways to display game outcomes and awards to players. There is also a continuing need to provide new and different linked or related gaming machines which provide progressive awards.